The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine by Mark Twain

Now here’s something just a little bit different.  A book by a spectacularly well-versed, world-travelling author who professes to be an expert on everything from jumping frogs to river rafts to fingerprints. He wrote a children’s story—just for his children, mind you, as nothing more than a couple of scribbles on an overused, over-worn scrap of paper.  Then the dynamic duo of the children’s publishing world, Philip and Erin Stead, had the foresight and forethought to unknowingly re-discover this bit of babble and spin it into a full-length book for children, complete with illustrations.  This didn’t set perfectly well with old Mr. Twain, who, as was his manner, becomes such a narrative force that at points he actually interjects himself into the story as a character to argue with the ridiculous and downright overconfident direction that the author is taking the story.  An amazing book that is by turns ridiculous and witty, Twain himself would be proud.  Or so says the author, who never bothered to ask.  Verdict: Hysterical and smart, perfect for all ages.